


“How do I say ‘Will you forgive me?’ in flower?”

by TacosAreTasty33



Series: The One with the Officer and the Florist [4]
Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-26
Updated: 2018-03-30
Packaged: 2019-04-04 19:40:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14027361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TacosAreTasty33/pseuds/TacosAreTasty33
Summary: Conflict comes to Purgatory in the form of past flames, overbearing Mothers, and misunderstandings. Can Nicole and Waverly survive it? Or will the thorns on this rose be too painful to overcome?Find out over the course of the 3 chapters that make up Part IV of the series: The One with the Officer and the Florist!This is a Wayhaught AU where Waverly is a florist who runs Shorty’s Flower Shop and Nicole is an Officer who makes a very odd request.





	1. “I won’t give up on us…”

**Author's Note:**

> Hey Earpers and fellow fic-readers/writers!
> 
> This was written in response to the prompt: Flower Shop AU-“Person A owns a flower shop and Person B comes in, slaps a $20 dollar bill on the counter and says “How do I say ‘Fuck You’ in flower?”
> 
> I found all the flower meanings online at http://thelanguageofflowers.com. The flowers and their meanings will be included at the end of the fic so you can have an idea of what they look like.
> 
> As always, comments, questions, and feedback are welcome! :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own anything in the amazing world of Wynonna Earp! Once again, I am just a girl, sitting in front of her computer, writing about the characters she loves.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Nothing in Nicole’s life had ever been perfect, that is until she met Waverly Earp. 
> 
> Three months into their budding romance, Nicole often found herself believing in the possibility of perfection. Their relationship was almost effortless, sometimes it was as easy as breathing. In a word, it was perfect.
> 
> But the illusion was shattered by a phone call on a Tuesday evening.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this series continues with some conflict! 
> 
> As much as I enjoy writing (what I consider) adorable fluff, relationships are never all sunshine and rainbows. So I tried my hand at using some of the storylines and ideas from the second season to craft conflict in this Flower Shop AU! 
> 
> I also took a few creative liberties, so I am asking for some of that ‘suspension of disbelief’ we all know and love in the fiction world :)
> 
> The chapter titles come from "I Won't Give Up on Us" by Jason Mraz.
> 
> Enjoy Earpers xoxo

** Chapter 1: “I won’t give up on us…” **

Nothing in Nicole’s life had ever been perfect, that is until she met Waverly Earp.

Three months into their budding romance, Nicole often found herself believing in the possibility of perfection. Their relationship was almost effortless, sometimes it was as easy as breathing. In a word, it was _perfect_.

But the illusion was shattered by a phone call on a Tuesday evening.

It was Nicole’s mother, calling to tell her that she was coming into town the following day. The older woman begged the Officer to take some time off and meet her for coffee.

With a sigh, the redhead just listened to her mother ramble on and on about how she missed her daughter and just wanted to talk to her about something important. Nicole knew she needed to come up with an excuse not to go, not to see her. She shouldn’t agree to see her mother, not after everything that had happened. It was a no-good, horribly bad idea to accept the invitation.

But despite her reservations and better judgment, the redhead found herself confirming a time to meet the following afternoon at the local coffee shop. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Nicole cited a poor excuse to get off the phone, wanting this conversation to just end.

“Look I have a lot of paperwork left to do, so I gotta go." 

Her mother seemed to buy it. Reminding the Officer one last time not to be late tomorrow, she quickly ended the call.

“Nice talking to you too,” Nicole muttered after she heard the *click* signaling her mother had hung up, without even waiting for her to say goodbye.

The redhead threw her phone behind her and collapsed back on the bed with a groan. She crossed her arms over her face and lay motionless, trying to wrap her head around the fact that her mother was coming _here_. To Purgatory.

A voice interrupted her inner grumblings.

“Baby, who was that?” Waverly asked, her voice echoing in the hall, having caught the tail end of the conversation.

“It was…ummm…” Nicole mumbled as she sat up, trying to find the words to explain this.

See the problem was that Nicole hadn’t told her parents about Waverly, and vice versa.

Not telling her parents was the easy part. She rarely spoke with her parents and didn’t have the best relationship with them for a lot of reasons. They weren’t exactly supportive of her decision to become a cop, let alone move all the way to Purgatory to be a small town Sherriff’s Deputy. They had spent years trying to convince her not to do this, that she wasn’t strong enough, or smart enough, or brave enough to become a cop. But she had done it, despite their cruel and judgmental words. 

She also didn’t actively speak with them because of the last time she had let them into the romantic part of her life. Her parents had become far too attached and far too controlling. Not to mention they were still completely smitten with her ex-fiancée, and repeatedly took every opportunity to try and convince Nicole to get back together with her. The Officer still didn’t know why her parents cared so much, but maybe that’s what happened when you dated and then proposed to a close family friend. The parents were bound to be that much more invested in the outcome of the relationship.

So for all these reasons, she had decided not to tell them about her current girlfriend and woman she was falling hopelessly in love with. Her parents didn't deserve to know, and Waverly didn’t deserve the hell that would be meeting her parents.

And…she also hadn’t told her girlfriend about her parents or her romantic past either. It’s not that it was easy _not_ to tell the brunette about her family. They just hadn’t really gotten into the details of Nicole’s past. Sure, they had covered Waverly’s crazy family background and dating history. But whenever Nicole tried to work up the courage to admit to a horrible relationship with her parents and a failed engagement, she found herself tongue-tied. She was scared that admitting to these things would change how Waverly saw her, would disappoint the florist in some way. And she wouldn't be able to bear that.

Add in the fact that something always seemed to come up: an emergency flower arrangement, a Wynonna crisis, a hostage situation, and in the blink of an eye, three months had passed and Waverly knew next-to-nothing about Nicole’s parents and romantic history.

And now was her chance to come clean.

But one look at the woman standing in the doorway of her bedroom and any thoughts of her parents or ex-fiancée went out the window. Cocking her head to the side, the redhead couldn’t help the dimpled grin that broke out across her face.

“Hey, isn’t that my shirt?”

Waverly smiled smugly back at her. The brunette ran her hands over the frayed edges of the fading Wonder Woman baseball t-shirt hanging loosely on her small frame, falling mid-thigh. With a shrug she replied, “Looks better on me, don’t you think?”

With a wicked gleam in her eye, Nicole got up from the bed and stalked over to her girlfriend. Trailing a finger slowly down the front of the shirt, she answered, “Well baby, you do look absolutely ravishing in _my_ shirt. But I think it would look hell of a lot better on _my_ floor.”

Lust filled Waverly’s hazel eyes, her pupils blowing wide at the comment. The florist forcefully grabbed the front of Nicole’s sleep shirt and brought their lips together in a bruising kiss. The redhead moaned into the contact, letting her hands fall to the brunette’s hips, fingers gripping her tightly.

After a few moments, Waverly pulled away, pushing Nicole back forcefully. Her eyes shot open as she hit the doorframe, eliciting a sharp hiss from the Officer. Her blissful but confused gaze followed the retreating form of the brunette as she moved further into the bedroom.

Turning to face the Officer, Waverly quickly relieved any confusion on Nicole’s part by making a show of slowly stripping off the shirt. With a careless toss, it landed on the floor, leaving the brunette standing there without a stitch of clothing.

“That better, baby?” she asked coyly.

With a growl, Nicole sauntered towards the brunette and gave her a light push, causing her to fall backwards onto the bed with a surprised huff of laughter. The Officer followed, crawling on top of her and connecting their lips together once more.

When oxygen became a necessity, the Officer pulled back and replied huskily, “Much, much better.”

Needless to say, Nicole never got around to telling Waverly about the phone call, her mother, or the impending visit.

\--

Sunlight streamed through the window, causing Nicole to stir from her slumber.

Her hand reached out for her girlfriend, but her search yielded a cold and empty bed. Rolling over with a disappointed groan, the redhead rubbed sleep from her eyes and spotted a note on the bedside table.

With a yawn, the Officer read the message left for her.

_Baby,_

_Sorry I didn’t wake you, you just looked too cute all asleep and drooling on your pillow! I’ve got a pretty busy day at the shop, but I should be free for lunch. Call me <3_

_-Waverly_

With a shake of her head and sleepy smile, Nicole placed the note back onto the table. Reaching for her phone and unlocking it, she saw that she had an unread message. Hoping it was from her amazingly adorable girlfriend, she rushed to open it.

But like a bucket of ice water, reality came crashing down on her peaceful morning, completely ruining it.

The text message was from her mother, announcing her arrival by lunchtime. Letting out an irritated groan, Nicole realized that her mother would be here, in Purgatory, in four hours.

And she still hadn’t told her girlfriend. 

Oh this was very very very bad.

\--

She debated coming late. She also debated not showing up at all.

But the Officer knew her mother, and she was relentless if nothing else. If Nicole didn’t show up, she would find a way to see her, no matter the level of effort it required from the older woman.

With what felt like her millionth sigh of the day, the redhead pulled open the door to the coffee shop and steeled herself for what was to come.

It didn’t take a trained officer of the law to spot her mother. She looked completely out of place in this sleepy little town coffee shop.

Right away, Nicole noticed that time had been kind to her mother, Melinda Haught.

Her hair was as vibrant red as ever and her skin remained relatively unmarred by wrinkles. She still overdressed for every occasion, and in this case, coffee with her daughter meant a form-fitting white dress, black shawl and black stilettos.

Approaching the booth, Nicole plopped unceremoniously down into it. The Officer felt steel grey eyes immediately snap up from where they had been studying the menu.

Nicole knew right away that her mother had begun to scrutinize. She knew her mother would notice every hair out of place. Every wrinkle in her navy blue button up. She also knew it would only be a matter of time until Melinda Haught pointed them all out to her. But she was used to it, she had survived 28 years of it, surely a few more minutes couldn’t hurt.

Seemingly satisfied with her inspection for the time being, her mother broke the silence.

“Nicole, you look…well. A little thin, perhaps.”

“Thanks. You look umm…as put together as always, Mother,” the Officer replied with a tight-lipped grimace.

She knew the backhanded compliment landed when she saw a spark of fire ignite within her mother’s eyes. Those grey eyes narrowed as a saccharin expression made it’s way onto Melinda’ face. 

“Don’t use ‘umm’ sweetie, it makes you sound unintelligent.”

Nicole just rolled her eyes, having heard the same thing all throughout middle school and high school. She was similarly used to the dig at her intelligence, her mother often resorted to it. After a few tense moments of silence, her mother jumped back in, seemingly unfazed at having just insulted her daughter.

“So Nicky, how are you liking life here in this little cow-town? Can’t imagine you’ll last much longer in this place or in this career of yours. You never were one to bloom in the face of adversity.”

And there it was.

The criticism and doubt she had become so accustomed to hearing from her mother and from her family. Their doubt about her ability to succeed in law enforcement, their criticism of her desire to leave home.

Squaring her shoulders, the Officer went on the defensive. “Don’t call me Nicky, you know I hate that. And I actually like it here Mother…I’m really happy. I’m doing great in the job that I love. I have a girl-”

“Oh, sweetie,” her mother interrupted in a placating tone, “you don’t have to pretend with me. You can say those things to your father and your siblings, but not to your own mother. I know you’re unhappy. But more than that, I know you’re lonely." 

Nicole tried to contain her snort, but failed miserably, not that she cared much. _This woman just couldn’t be more off base. She has no idea I’ve found a place and a person to call home_.

Melinda smoothly continued, pointedly ignoring her daughter’s un-ladylike snort. “So that’s why I brought you a little surprise! Shae, dear, would you come over here?”

The redhead stiffened at her mother’s words. Surely, she had heard her wrong. There was no way her mother would bring _Shae_ here. She _wouldn’t_.

But luck was not on Nicole’s side today.

Looking over her shoulder, the redhead saw her ex-fiancée approach the table. She must have been sitting at the counter, or else Nicole would have spotted her the minute she walked in.

Shae looked the same as she had the last time Nicole had seen her, as gorgeous as always. But her exotic beauty paled in comparison to the one who held the Officer’s heart.

“Hey, Nicky,” Shae greeted with a small wave, a tentative smile on her face.

Sparing a tight grimace for the woman, the redhead turned back to her mother. Hardening her gaze, she spoke with barely-controlled anger. “Really, Mother? You better have a damn good explanation for this-” Nicole spluttered, gesturing between the three of them with her hands, “- _ambush_.”

Melinda’s eyes narrowed, but she simply scooted out of the booth and came to stand next to Shae, a hand placed on the other woman’s shoulder.

“Watch your tone, young lady. That's no way to speak to your mother. Now, you know I always thought it was a mistake that you two ended things. And it’s about time you got back together anyways, it’s all your father and I have ever wanted for you, dear.”

Nicole’s fury ran red-hot, her retort on the tip of her tongue. But before she could chew her mother out for her misguided and overbearing actions, Shae interrupted her.

“I-I asked her to do this for me, Nicky. I wanted to see you. I…I _miss_ you. And I didn’t think you would show up if I reached out. So I asked your mother to help me.”

Nicole’s anger fizzled out, but she remained both confused and irritated. Her ex-fiancée was in town with her mother and both of them were there in hopes of rekindling the long broken off engagement. It was as if she had hit her head and woke up in bizarro world.

Sensing her daughter’s hesitation and confusion, Melinda spoke up. “Nicole, sweetheart, just listen to what she has to say. You owe her that much."

Clapping her hands together, the elder Haught pushed Shae into her recently vacated spot. “Well you two really need to talk and I’m going to leave you to it. I thought I saw a cute little antique shop down the street, so take your time girls!”

With a toss of her hair and the graceful sliding on of her Prada sunglasses, Melinda Haught left the coffee shop.

Awkwardness descended upon the two who remained, as they sat across from each other in silence. A waitress came up and broke the tense air, taking their orders: a cappuccino for Nicole, a small mocha for Shae. When their coffees arrived shortly after, Shae was quick to take a sip, ignoring the temperature of her drink. Seeming to gather some mocha-flavored liquid-courage, she spoke up.

“Nicky…I know this is super random, me just dropping in like this after years of nothing. But I had to see you. From the minute I gave you the ring back all those years ago, I have regretted it,” Shae confessed, reaching across the table to lay her hand atop Nicole’s.

While the redhead didn’t pull away, she didn’t offer any encouragement either, and Shae hesitantly continued.

“I-I guess I thought we were too young then, I mean we were 23 for crying out loud! But now I realize I gave up too soon…I gave up on us too soon, and I’m sorry for that. So now I’m here and if you’ll have me, I want to give this another shot.” She punctuated her final word with a charming smile and a squeeze of the Officer’s hand.

Throughout it all, Nicole’s expression had remained guarded.

She realized that maybe, some time ago she would have loved to hear this from Shae. Hell, she had dreamt of this conversation everyday for almost two years after the other woman gave her the ring back. But now?

Now, she had moved on. She had found Waverly. She had found her match, the person she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. So while this was all nice to hear, Nicole knew it was all in vain. She didn’t want to hurt Shae, but she couldn’t give her any hope and she couldn’t lead her on.

Bracing herself, the Officer pulled her hand away and wrapped it around her cup. “Shae…I appreciate you saying all this. I really do. But there’s no changing the past, and I’m sorry if this sounds harsh but…there’s no future for us either. My mother was wrong when she said I was alone and unhappy. Because I’m not…” the redhead trailed off, as thoughts of Waverly filled her mind.

A dopey, love-struck smile broke out across her face at the thoughts of the brunette. “I’m actually dating someone and she…she’s extraordinary. And I can see a real future with her, not one that’s forced on me by my parents. So I really am sorry, but it’s a no for me Shae.”

With that, Nicole finished up the last of her cappuccino and stood up from the booth. Shae, leaving her half-finished mocha on the table, mirrored the Officer’s actions. She reached into her purse and pulled out a $10, which she tossed on the table, hopefully covering the tab and the tip.

While Shae was disappointed, she could see how happy Nicole was and truly wished her all the best. Maybe it was a fool’s errand to come to Purgatory in hopes of getting back together with the redhead, but at least she had tried. And now she knew Nicole was happy and in love, and that’s all Shae could want for her longest and best friend.

The two women stood there for a moment, staring at each other as they realized this would be it, the last time they would probably see each other. Moving first, Shae pushed up on her toes to press a soft kiss to Nicole’s cheek. With a breathy ‘goodbye’, she was gone, retreating out of the coffee shop, out of Purgatory, and out of the redhead’s life.

The Officer let out a long breath, thankful that the conversation had been pretty painless. But now came the harder part: dealing with her mother.

Sitting back down in the booth, she took her phone out of her pocket and drafted a text to her mother.

To: **Mother**

_Shae’s gone and you should follow suit. We aren’t getting back together, Mother. I am happy here, I have someone here. Get back safe. -Nicole_

Slipping her phone back into her jeans, she looked out the shop window at the town she had come to call home. Thoughts of ‘home’ turned to thoughts of Waverly and suddenly Nicole remembered the note from this morning. 

She hadn’t texted the brunette about coffee with her mother, knowing this conversation was not one to be had behind phone screens. But now that it was all over, she was ready to talk about the whole thing with her girlfriend. About her ex-fiancée, her relationship with her parents. _Everything_.

Looking at her watch and seeing it was only 12:40, Nicole realized she could still swing lunch with Waverly to do just that. Standing up from the booth, she threw a few more dollars on the table and made her way to the front door, leaving the coffee shop in search of Waverly.

But little did Nicole know that her girlfriend had witnessed the whole interaction with her mother and Shae.

Little did Nicole know that Waverly had taken off the second Shae’s lips touched Nicole’s cheek.

Little did Nicole know about the tears streaming down the brunette’s face or the heart shattered in her chest.

\--End Chapter 1--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo don't kill me. I hate the cheating trope as much as the next girl, but our amazing officer of the law did not cheat and this misunderstanding will be resolved...eventually!
> 
> Chapter 2 will have Waverly's perspective on the matter and the confrontation between her and Nicole, AHHH!
> 
> It will be up on Wednesday so stay tuned!


	2. “…even if the skies get rough…”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Waverly hadn’t heard from Nicole all morning.
> 
> She had hoped to get a response to the note she had left with her girlfriend in bed, but by noon, she still hadn’t gotten a text from the Officer. With lunchtime fast approaching, she decided she could use some fresh air. Maybe she would even ‘accidentally’ run into the redhead at some point! 
> 
> So the brunette locked up the shop and headed down Main Street.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright Earpers, we’re back!
> 
> So this chapter focuses on Waverly’s perspective on the same events from Chapter 1. It is mainly filling in the blanks for what our florist was doing that afternoon. We then get the aftermath of her witnessing Nicole, her mother, and Shae at the coffee shop, and the confrontation between the two women.
> 
> I really hope I haven’t lost any of you along the way! I promise all will turn out well for our Officer and florist! Have faith my friends! Wayhaught is always endgame :)
> 
> The resolution comes in Chapter 3, so stay tuned!

** Chapter 2-“…even if the skies get rough…” **

Waverly hadn’t heard from Nicole all morning.

She had hoped to get a response to the note she had left with her girlfriend in bed, but by noon, she still hadn’t gotten a text from the Officer. With lunchtime fast approaching, she decided she could use some fresh air. Maybe she would even ‘accidentally’ run into the redhead at some point!

So the brunette locked up the shop and headed down Main Street.

She wandered aimlessly, mind going over the arrangements left to do that afternoon, when her attention was drawn to the coffee shop on the corner. Waverly had seen a flash of red hair go through the door, and she was fairly confident it had been Nicole.

The florist watched from across the street as her girlfriend sat down at a table with another red-haired woman. The two were seated in front of the shop window, giving Waverly an unobstructed view of their exchange. They seemed to be engaged in conversation, clearly known to each other.

Despite the air of familiarity and the clear family resemblance, Waverly could see that Nicole looked extremely tense in the way she held her self, in the expression the florist could make out from the profile of her face.

The brunette was set to walk into the shop to save the Officer from this clearly uncomfortable situation when she saw a third person start to approach their table. But this newcomer appeared to not be so new, as the older redhead waved her over. Nicole had turned her body to look over her shoulder at the woman, so Waverly couldn't gauge her reaction. 

As she watched the unfolding interaction, the florist sat down on the bench beside her, not caring if it looked like she was spying on her girlfriend and the two women with her. Because she totally was and wasn’t at all ashamed of it.

Her eyes drifted to the new addition to the conversation and despite her best efforts, Waverly couldn’t help but notice that the woman was drop-dead gorgeous. Because of course she was. 

Waverly's attention was drawn back to Nicole as she gestured with her hands and spoke animatedly, her cropped fiery hair moving to hide her face from the florist's inquisitive gaze. She then saw the older redhead calmly replying to Nicole before she slid out of the booth, making room for the exotically beautiful woman. Waverly saw the older woman offer a few more words before exiting the shop, leaving Nicole alone with the other woman. Her eyes drifted away from the retreating figure of the older redhead and back to Nicole, looking for any clues from her girlfriend as to what the heck was going on.

Next, the florist saw a waitress walk up and take their orders, returning shortly after with two steaming mugs. After taking a sip, the other woman begin to speak, and at one point, reach across the table to grab Nicole’s hand. The Officer didn’t immediately try to move her hand away, which Waverly found a bit odd.

She could see that Nicole was sipping from a mug, which the florist knew held a cappuccino, while the other woman was talking animatedly, a smile on her face.

Then Waverly watched Nicole take her hand back to hold her drink, and seemed to be responding to the woman now. She couldn’t quite read the other woman’s expression, but Nicole’s was clear as day. After the Officer moved some of her hair behind her ear, Waverly's view of Nicole's face was now unobstructed. Waverly saw her girlfriend's expression soften and transition into one of sheer joy and…were those heart eyes?

Now Waverly was confused, and she let her gaze wander away from the pair as she processed what she was seeing.

Her girlfriend was sitting in a coffee shop, holding (well not anymore but they were at one point!) another woman’s hand, and now she had that dopey smile on her face, the one that Waverly would recognize anywhere. It was the one usually reserved only for her. So to say she was confused was the understatement of the century.

Movement drew her attention back to the window. Nicole had gotten up and so had the other woman. Nothing about the interaction seemed too worrisome…

Then the woman was leaning up towards Nicole, pressing her lips to the Officer’s cheek.

Tears pricked the corners of Waverly’s hazel eyes as she stumbled to her feet, rising from the bench so fast that she almost tripped and fell onto the pavement. She didn’t spare a final glance for her girlfriend and the woman before she was hurrying away, eyes trained on the ground in front of her. Her heart was pounding in her chest, her stomach was twisted in knots, her thoughts were running wild. Any logic was thrown out the window as she immediately jumped to the worst case scenario.

 _Nicole met a beautiful woman at the coffee shop_ _. There was hand-holding and a kiss._

_Nicole had to be…cheating on her._

_Cheating._

The florist brought her hand up to cover her mouth, trying to stifle her sobs as she ran down the street. While she was able to keep those at bay for now, she couldn’t help the steady flow of tears that tracked down her cheeks.

Finally reaching _Shorty’s_ , Waverly hurried inside, thankful her tearful run was not witnessed by any of her fellow Purgatorians.

Brushing some of the tears from her face, she approached the counter at the front of the shop. She hurriedly reached underneath it, past the pens and folders, to grab her pad of flower-shaped sticky-notes. She messily scribbled a few words on it, hoping the flower arrangements she had saved for after lunch would be fine if left untouched for a while.

Armed with her keys and note, she rushed back outside. Locking the door, Waverly put the sticky-note on its glass pane, leaving the shop as quickly as she had arrived.

The tears continued to fall from her hazel eyes, despite her best attempts to stop them. Sniffling and stubbornly wiping at her tearstained cheeks, Waverly jumped into her Jeep and peeled out of the parking lot, headed for the Homestead.

The florist had no regard for the law today, running two stop signs and all but breaking the land speed record. Her drive was fast and furious, done in a whirlwind of anger, hurt, and tears.

Soon enough, she finally pulled up to the Homestead, screeching to a halt. Her movements were quick and jerky, a symptom of her impending breakdown. Waverly knew she just needed to get inside, and once there, she could finally let it all go.

Running up the front steps, she threw open the door and stormed inside. The door swung open, banging against the wall beside it, the loud thud it caused reverberating inside the previously quiet house. Waverly reached out with shaking hands to close and lock it before turning on her heel to rush up the stairs.

Finally reaching her room, the florist forcefully opened her own door and then closed it just as violently. Closing the gap between the door and her destination with hurried steps, Waverly carelessly threw herself down onto her bed. The instant she landed on the comforter, she curled in upon herself, folding into the fetal position. She reached out and grabbed one of her pillows, clutching it tightly to her chest like a lifeline. She noticed it smelled faintly of lavender and vanilla, and of something just so _Nicole_. With that realization, the sobs she had been trying to keep at bay were finally set free, wracking her small frame with their ferocity.

A soft knock at the door startled her.

“What?” Waverly croaked, voice thick with tears.

“Babygirl, it’s uhh…it's me,” Wynonna replied, worry evident in her tone. The older woman cracked open the door and peeked inside.

The sight before her nearly tore her heart in two. She saw her younger sister, the nicest and sweetest person in all of Purgatory, looking more broken than she ever had before. Waverly was lying on her bed, hugging a pillow tightly to her chest, as tears streamed down her anguished face. The older Earp quietly moved inside.

“What happened?” Wynonna asked hesitantly, slowly approaching the bed.

An innocent question, but one that cut Waverly to her core, causing her to squeeze her eyes tightly shut as a fresh wave of pain coursed through her.

But as painful as it was, the florist knew she should try to explain this to Wynonna. So Waverly pushed herself up into a seated position, the grip on her pillow never loosening. She only managed to get out a few words in between her tears and sniffles. 

“Nicole—coffee shop—kissed—”

The brunette’s voice finally broke, as she was unwilling to continue the torment of reliving the day. A fresh wave of sobs overtook her and she collapsed back onto the bed. 

Wynonna, having gotten the gist of what was troubling her sister, moved quickly and slid onto the bed behind the brunnete. She threw her arm around the younger woman and pulled her close, holding her protectively as her tortured cries filled the room.

\--

On the other side of town, Nicole had just reached the flower shop and quickly noticed the sticky-note on the door. Walking up to it, she saw Waverly’s distinct loopy handwriting, but it looked hurried and messy, very out-of-character for the brunette.

The note read:

_Shop closed for the day. Personal reasons. –Waverly Earp_

The Officer’s head tilted to the side in confusion.  _Huh, that’s strange_ , Nicole thought. The only other time she knew Waverly had closed shop was when Wynonna had first gotten to town.

Waverly was a rock star, a real Wonder Woman in terms of work. She had kept _Shorty’s_ open when she came down with the flu and when Wynonna was missing (only to be found a few hours later, still drunk off her ass in the barn at the Homestead). She was always willing to work late to finish orders, even working through the finale of “The Great British Baking Show.”

So the fact that Waverly had closed the shop…well, Nicole couldn’t help the seed of worry that lodged deep in her chest.

The redhead quickly turned on her heel, pulling out her phone to shoot a quick text to her girlfriend before heading back towards her apartment.

She needed to get her keys, drive to the Homestead, and check on Waverly. Any thoughts of Shae and her mother were gone from her mind as concern for her girlfriend took precedence.

\--

The drive to the Homestead passed quickly.

Probably because, in a rather uncharacteristic manner and in a similar fashion to that of her girlfriend, Nicole broke just a few laws to get there in that short amount of time.

Coming to a skidding halt in front of the porch, the Officer had barely shifted the gears to park before hoping out of her truck. 

She had received no reply to her text, worsening her worry by the minute. Spotting the Jeep in the yard, she sighed in relief, knowing her girlfriend was at least at home.

Nicole rushed up the steps and went to open the door, but found it locked. _Huh._

Patting her pockets and coming up empty, she hung her head as she realized she had left her key to the Homestead sitting on her kitchen table, ironically next to a fresh vase of sunflowers. Raising her fist, the Officer pounded on the door three times in quick succession, and stepped back, waiting for an answer.

\--

Three knocks echoed through the Homestead and reached the ears of the two Earp sisters, who were still lying in bed, holding each other.

By this time, Waverly’s tears had long dried, but now she was in an almost catatonic state. She didn’t even react or seem all that surprised when she heard the knocks. It was almost as if she was expecting them.

Wynonna was about to ask who it was when she was interrupted by a shout from outside.

“ _Waverly!_ ”

With a huff of realization, Wynonna sat up. “Of course Miss ‘pleat-in-her-pants’ is here. Probably thinking she can grovel her way outta this one. Alright you sit tight Babygirl, I’m gonna go grab my gun and-”

Stopping her sister with a soft grip on her shoulder, Waverly just shook her head sadly. This was a battle she needed to fight on her own, one her older sister couldn’t fight for her. 

"Stay here, Nonna. I...I've got this," Waverly said sadly as she got to her feet.

She quickly rubbed the remaining tear tracks from her cheeks and wiped her nose with the sleeve of her sweater. Feeling a little more presentable, she slowly descended the stairs, dreading the thought of opening the door for Nicole.

The florist came to a stop in front of the cracked and faded wooden door, hand gripping the brass knob. She could faintly hear Nicole’s footsteps outside. It sounded like she was pacing. 

With a final deep breath, the brunette steeled herself and schooled her features into an emotionless mask. She then unlocked and opened the door. Blood-shot, red-rimmed hazel eyes immediately found her girlfriend paused mid-step, body half-turned towards the door. Nicole looked stressed, hair a little frizzy and sticking up in places. But the relief on her face was clear as day and she took a step towards the brunette.

“Waves, wha-”

“Get. Off. My. Porch.”

The Officer visibly recoiled at the tone, confusion filling her chocolate brown eyes. Over the past three months, she had heard Waverly talk to her in many different tones and cadences. The brunette had excited tones and new-flower-shipments-just-came-in tones. She had flirty tones and ‘Let’s-go-to-bed’ tones. But this tone was one Nicole had never heard before. Her girlfriend sounded _angry_. But more than that, she sounded _cold_ , _distant_.

Shaking her head, she tried to understand this bewildering situation.

“Baby, what is it, what’s wrong?”

The brunette couldn’t take how worried Nicole sounded, how caring. It made the betrayal that much worse.

“Just go away, Nicole. Leave…please,” Waverly implored, voice breaking with unchecked emotion.

Nicole moved forward towards girlfriend once more, in an attempt to comfort her, but Waverly stepped back and held a hand up, halting the Officer's movement.

“I saw you today.”

The redhead’s brows wrinkled, her head tilted to the side.

“What do you mean you ‘saw me today’?” Nicole pleaded, trying to understand the puffiness of her Waverly’s eyes, the hurt she could see in them.

“I saw you today, with _her_. At the coffee shop. I saw _everything_ ,” Waverly seethed in quiet anger, pain clouding her features.

Understanding rushed through the Officer and Nicole let her shoulders droop, her eyes falling from where they had been holding the brunette’s furious gaze. Waverly had seen her today with her mother and Shae, that’s why she was so angry. Nicole hadn’t told her about them coming to town and Waverly was clearly mad about that. Collecting herself, Nicole prepared to explain, but Waverly interrupted her.

“How could you do this to me? How could you _cheat_ on me?” Waverly whispered, arms coming to wrap around her stomach, almost protectively.

And now the Officer was confused again. 

“Cheat on you? Baby, I didn’t…” Nicole began, but trailed off, realizing what Waverly had meant, what she must have seen.

Shae. The hand-holding. The kiss.

“Oh…shit, baby that’s not what happened. This is just a big misunderstanding-”

“Save it, Nicole. I don’t want to hear your excuses. Just…go.”

With that final word, Waverly let out a stuttering breath as tears filled her eyes once more. Unwilling to let Nicole see her cry, she reached out and firmly shut the front door, finalizing both the metaphorical and physical barrier between them.

Nicole was torn, unsure if she should stay and try to explain herself or if she should do as Waverly asked. She didn’t want to risk hurting the brunette further, but she also knew the pain she was feeling was all because of a big misunderstanding.

Her decision was made for her when the front door opened once more, this time revealing the older Earp, who hadn't stayed upstairs like Waverly asked. Instead she had stayed close by, listening, ready to step in if her little sister needed her.

Wynonna held Peacemaker loosely at her side as she leaned against the doorframe, eyeing the redhead coldly.

The Officer’s hands immediately went up in the air, a sign of surrender.

“Whoa, Wynonna. I don’t know what she told you or what you heard, but I didn’t…I would never cheat on her. No matter what she thinks she saw, I didn’t cheat. I just need you to know that.”

Wynonna eyed the woman in front of her as she absorbed her words. While she didn’t take the redhead for a liar (or a cheater for that matter), she had been proven wrong many times before, leaving her a jaded shadow of her formerly trusting self.

Tilting her chin, she brusquely instructed, “You better go, Haught.”

Nicole sighed and backed away, completely dejected. The redhead somberly walked down the front steps as her own tears threatened to fall. She sniffled and wiped her nose as she climbed into her truck. 

As she drove away from the Homestead with tear-filled eyes, Nicole knew there would be no going back from this.

Things would never be the same.

They would never be perfect again.

\--End Chapter 2--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright whew, that was sad to write. I think I need to go watch some Wayhaught scenes to make me feel better. 
> 
> So far this as been an angst-filled ride, with misunderstandings and mistakes. But now we are now onto Chapter 3, or as I like to call it, the happy ending! Thank goodness!
> 
> See you Friday, Earpers!
> 
> xoxo


	3. “I’m giving you all my love, I’m still looking up…”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Nicole knew she had messed up. 
> 
> She should have come clean about both her romantic and family history. She should have told Waverly where she was going and she should have told her about her mother and Shae. 
> 
> But something had always gotten in the way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After two chapters of hurt and angst....finally it’s time for the happy ending!
> 
> I hope you’re still with me and ready to see the flower tradition come into play here :)
> 
> Enjoy Earpers!

** Chapter 3-“I’m giving you all my love, I’m still looking up…” **

Nicole knew she had messed up.

She should have come clean about her romantic and family history. She should have told Waverly where she was going and she should have told her about her mother and Shae.

But something had always gotten in the way. It never felt like the right time to drop the ‘I’ve been engaged before’ bomb. And it wasn’t something to text your girlfriend right before you met your mother for coffee. 

But Nicole knew those were just excuses, and poor ones at that.

The Officer had royally fucked up, but she hadn’t _cheated_. She would never do something like that, and she needed Waverly to know that, if nothing else.

So once she got home, the Officer tried reaching out to the brunette, sending Waverly text after text, apology after apology. But after hours of unanswered messages, Nicole hadn’t gotten even one reply from the brunette. So she decided it was time to bite the bullet and try to call her.

She quickly dialed Waverly's number and then raised the phone to her ear. The rings sounded through the speaker of her phone, each one mocking her more so than the last. 

Nicole didn’t expect Waverly to answer. _Hell, I wouldn’t answer me either_ , the redhead thought. 

Nearing the last few rings, she readied herself for the voicemail, knowing it was her only shot at getting Waverly to hear everything she needed her to.

_‘Hi! You’ve reached Waverly Earp and I am super sorry I missed your call! When you hear the beep, you know what to do!’_

Letting out a shuddery breath, Nicole launched into her apology.

“Hey baby…it’s uhh it's me. I know I’ve been blowing up your phone all night and I’m really sorry about that. I’m also sorry I didn’t tell you that my mother was coming to town. We haven’t exactly talked about my family yet…and that’s completely my fault. I should have told you that my parents and I aren’t on the best of terms. We only really talk when we have to...and we had a falling out a few years ago. I also should have told you about Shae. Baby, she’s my uhh, my ex-fiancée. It didn’t work out between us for a lot of reasons and I guess my mother came here trying to fix that or something. She tried to play matchmaker and honestly ambushed me. I had no idea Shae was even in Purgatory. Waverly, what you saw wasn’t me cheating on you. It was a kiss on the cheek as Shae was saying goodbye. It was me putting an end to her advances. Trust me when I say this Waves, it’s totally over with her. It’s been over with her for years…and it was pointless for her to try to come here and win me back because my heart belongs to _you_. It belongs to _you_ , baby. And it has since the moment I walked into _Shorty’s_ three months ago. So I know I can’t go back and make this right, but I’m hoping you can find it in your heart to forgive me. I’m so sorry and I lo-care about you, so much. But I know you need some time now, and I’ll respect that. I’ll umm, stop bothering you. Bye.”

-click-

Nicole had done it. She had explained everything as best as she could. And now she just had to wait.

The Officer set her phone face down and dropped her forehead to the table, tears finally falling as she let her guilt and sadness consume her. 

\--

A few days later and Waverly still hadn’t returned her texts or call.

Add in the fact that the both she and Wynonna were actively ignoring her, and Nicole had reached an all time low. She existed in a constant state of gloom, anger, and guilt.

The other Officers at the station had taken to giving her a wide berth, knowing the smallest comment or look could set her off. Even her orange tabby cat, Calamity Jane, wanted nothing to do with her. And so, all alone, she wallowed in self-pity and guilt.

Nicole continued to replay that day over and over again in her mind. 

The coffee shop. The fight. The voicemail. 

She had taken to obsessively worrying about that voicemail, wondering if she had explained everything enough, if she had said enough. It haunted her, every minute of every day.

At night, there was no respite for her, no solace. Even in her dreams, she relived it all. Waverly's pain. Her tears. Her heartbreak. She would wake shaking, a cold sweat soaking her body, always with the same thought: _She will never forgive you. It wasn’t enough_.

And tonight, after she had been wrenched once again from her nightmares, she decided she was finally going to do something about it. If what she had done wasn’t enough to warrant forgiveness, she was going to do more. 

She had to try.

Nicole sat up and reached for her computer, grabbing it from the bedside table. She quickly popped it open and pulled up Google. The redhead typed ‘flowers and their meanings’ into the search bar, and went to work.

The Officer had stayed up into the wee hours of the morning, late enough to catch the streaks of daylight breaking over the mountains. But it was worth it because she had a _plan_.

After copious amounts of research, Nicole had found three flowers that she felt communicated the depth of her apology. But knowing she couldn’t ask Waverly to get them for her, she had ordered them online from a shop in the city, only a few hours drive from Purgatory. And lucky for her, the shop had all of those flowers in stock. And even luckier, the shop would deliver the bouquet for free, to her doorstep by 2 PM.

Although it wasn’t the most aesthetically appealing group of flowers she had ever seen, Nicole hoped Waverly would look past all that and see what they represented. 

The flowers had arrived early, rousing her from her first dreamless sleep since the _incident_. She was quick to sign for the delivery and carry the bouquet inside. She was on a schedule and the last thing she needed to do before dropping the flowers off at _Shorty’s_ was write.

\--

Waverly hadn’t let her broken heart stop her from going back to work.

The hardest day was the first, the one after _everything_. It had still been too raw and real. Plus she hadn’t exactly slept soundly the night before, lying awake for hours thinking about Nicole.

That was five days ago, and now Waverly sat in the back of the shop on her break, still processing everything Nicole had dumped on her in that voicemail. 

Sure, the Officer had explained everything away, making the brunette realize that she wasn’t, in fact, cheating. While that was a relief, it didn’t magically solve everything. The voicemail didn’t mend her broken heart, it didn’t take the pain away. She still felt so hurt, so betrayed.

It’s not like Nicole had lied. But keeping something like this, something of this magnitude, a secret for this long had to mean something. The dark parts of her mind whispered that it was because Nicole didn’t trust her, didn’t care enough about her to let her in. The darker parts whispered that Nicole was lying, that she did cheat and was just trying to cover it up. 

But Waverly _knew_ Nicole. Even if she didn’t have very detail of the Officer’s past, she knew the woman who held her heart better than she knew herself. So she knew those darker thoughts had no truth behind them, no foundation in reality. But she also knew that she was still hurt and angry that Nicole hadn’t opened up to her and trusted her.

The beeping of her phone’s timer shook the brunette out of her thoughts. Realizing her break time was up, Waverly came out from the back of the shop. She stopped short when she saw a bouquet of flowers sitting on the counter, an envelope resting against the vase that held them. It had her name on it, penned in very familiar handwriting.

With a shaky breath, she approached the counter and picked up the envelope. It wasn’t sealed, so she was able to slide out the pieces of paper easily. Hands trembling, she opened the letter and began to read.

_Waves,_

_Hey baby, I hope you got my voicemail because it starts to explain everything that happened that day. But I realized that it wasn't enough, so bear with me while I give you the explanation you deserve._

_First of all, there’s something I need you to know._ _I’m so sorry for not telling you about my parents and Shae sooner. Thinking back, I should have made time to tell you about them. But it was always so much easier to steer the conversation in a different direction. It’s not easy for me to talk about them, because the memories are painful and I’m not proud to admit to them. I have so many failed relationships in my past, both familial and romantic, and I didn’t want that to scare you or disappoint you. I couldn’t take it if you saw me differently because of these things. So I was scared and I kept secrets. And I will be forever sorry for that. Not being honest with you was the biggest mistake I have ever made._

_I also need you to know that me not telling you was in no way a reflection on who you are. Waverly, you are the most wonderful person I know. You always see the best in people, the best in me. And I really didn’t want to disappoint you or change how you see me. But that was so selfish of me, and in the process of hiding, I hurt you. And I will never forgive myself for that._

_No matter how many times I try to explain this and apologize for my mistake, it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter because I hurt you, whether it was intentional or not. I am so sorry for that Waves. I never wanted to hurt you, it was the last thing I wanted to do. And I will spend every day trying my best to make up for that._

_Making this up to you starts with an apology. I have wracked my brain to come up with an apology fit for you, my brilliant, beautiful, kindhearted flower expert. So of course, I turned to our tradition and your area of expertise: flowers._

_In this bouquet you will find three types of flowers: purple hyacinths, red carnations, and pink camellias. I’m sure you know what each one means, but if you’ll let me, I want to explain to you why I chose them._

_Purple hyacinths mean ‘I am sorry’ and ‘Please forgive me’. While words may not be enough to apologize for the hurt I have caused you, I hope the message gets conveyed by these beautiful blossoms. Waverly, I hope you know how deeply and truly sorry I am. I hope to one day earn your forgiveness._

_Red carnations mean ‘My heart aches for you’. These past few days of radio-silence and not seeing you have been some of the hardest of my life. Without you, there’s a Waverly-sized hole in my life and in my heart. I miss you Waves, so damn much. This is killing me, not being able to see you. To touch you and hold you. My heart isn’t complete without you, just like my life isn’t complete without you._

_Finally, Pink camellias mean ‘Longing for you’. Waves, I can’t say it enough, but I miss you, baby. I long to be with you, to hold you tight and never let you go. I hope you know that I never wanted to hurt you. You are, without a doubt, the best person I have every known. Which is why you are the one person who doesn’t deserve to ever feel like this. You should never have to doubt my devotion to you and my desire to be with you, because I want to be with you today and always. You should never have to feel inferior or second-choice, because you are and will always be my first._

_Waverly, there’s not much more I can say or, well, write. But I can promise you that I will never intentionally hurt you, that I will never go out of my way to hurt you. And intentional or not, I never want to be the reason for your tears. I never want to make you feel like this again. So I promise I never will._ _You have my word, Waverly Earp._

_So, baby, I hope you can find it in that big, beautiful heart of yours to forgive me._

_Forever yours,_

_Nicole_

Waverly hadn’t even realized she started crying until she felt the dampness on her cheeks, saw a few tearstains littering the pages in her hands. But these weren’t the kind of tears Nicole was talking about. These tears weren’t caused by pain or hurt, they were products of relief, of forgiveness.

With a watery chuckle, the florist dried her eyes and set the letter down on the counter. It was the first time in five days that she felt something other than anger or hurt. She felt _happy_. Without even knowing it, this was what had needed from Nicole. An explanation, apology, and a promise all in one.

Glancing at the clock, Waverly realized it was barely 3:30, which meant Nicole’s weekly ‘extra shift’ started in 30 minutes. And because it was Monday, she was probably getting a workout in at the gym beforehand.

The florist grabbed her coat from the chair behind the counter and rushed out, locking up for the day.

She had a woman to see about an apology.

\--

Loud thuds and heavy grunts could be heard in the hallway outside the workout room. Waverly peeked through the window and saw _her_ Nicole for the first time since that afternoon on the porch.

The redhead looked tired, the large bags under her eyes meant she had been sleeping about as well as Waverly had. Sweat dripped down her face as she methodically hit the bag in front of her, throwing her weight behind every punch. The florist noticed that Nicole had taped her hands up, but hadn't put on any gloves. Waverly was sure each punch and hit were extremely painful for her, probably some sort of self-inflicted punishment. 

The Officer had pulled her fiery hair into a ponytail that swished behind her with every uppercut and jab. Her eyebrows were furrowed in concentration, her face a mask of haunted pain and guilt.

Waverly’s eyes continued their descent downward and widened comically when she realized her girlfriend was beating the shit out of this punching bag clad only in spandex and a tight, black sports bra, chiseled abs on full display.

Picking her jaw up off the floor, Waverly shook herself from her thoughts and grabbed the door handle with unsteady hands, pushing it down and entering the gym.

Nicole didn’t seem to hear her come in, staying completely focused on the bag in front of her. She threw punch after punch, each one landing with a dull thud, hitting their mark.

It wasn’t until Waverly cleared her throat loudly that the Officer stopped. Nicole’s hands steadied the bag in front of her as she moved her gaze towards the door. 

Chocolate brown eyes locked with hazel ones for the first time in what felt like forever. Waverly saw a variety of emotions flit across Nicole’s face. First was shock. Then guilt. Then hope. Then concern.

The redhead let go of the bag and reached down to grab her water bottle, taking a moment to compose herself. She took a long sip and forcefully pulled the bottle away from her lips, causing some to spill down her chin. Waverly’s eyes followed stream of water as it trickled down the Officer’s chin to her slender neck, dripping down past her sternum, sliding towards her sports bra. A quick shake of her head brought the florist back to reality, eyes shooting back up to Nicole’s.

It was then that Waverly saw Nicole’s mouth moving and she realized the redhead had been talking the entire time she was ogling her like some horny teenager.

“-doing here? Is everything alright?”

Despite the situation, Nicole was making sure Waverly was okay. She was always putting her first, even now when she didn’t know where they stood.

Suddenly nervous, the florist started to wring her hands together.

“Umm, well I got your flowers. And your note,” she responded, tone holding no anger, coldness, or distance like it had the last time they spoke. “I also got your voicemail.”

Nicole sucked in a breath. Waverly had gotten it all: the texts, the voicemail, the flowers.

She stared back at the brunette, trying to unravel the mystery behind those hazel eyes. Nicole prided herself on her ability to read people, especially Waverly. She always seemed to know how the florist was feeling, what she was thinking. But the distance between them and the stress of the situation hindered her ability. Right now, the florist’s tone and expression were unreadable.

Hesitantly, Nicole ventured to break the silence. “I’m uhh glad you got them. And I know I’ve said this a million times already, but I am so so so sorry, baby. I’m sorry times infinity!”

The brunette eyed the Officer, seeming to contemplate her next move.

Without warning, Waverly moved towards her, closing the distance between them. Stepping into Nicole’s space, the florist reached her hand out and gripped the back of Nicole’s neck. She pulled the other woman towards her with surprising force, crashing their lips together.

Nicole took a second to respond, but when she did, Waverly felt all of her hurt and worry dissipate. The florist brought her other arm to loop around the Officer’s neck, bringing their bodies flush together.

Time seemed to stand still as they got reacquainted with one another. Lips and tongues slid against each other, hands wandered across well-mapped and well-known surfaces. Nicole began to kiss down the brunette’s neck as she moved her hands down to the back of the Waverly’s thighs. She easily picked her up and moved them across the room, all without disconnecting her lips from the florist’s pulse point. The brunette crossed her ankles behind Nicole’s back and hurriedly removed the Officer’s ponytail, burying her hands in the newly freed red hair.

The feeling of being pushed against the brick wall of the workout room caused Waverly snap out of it. Opening her eyes, she used her hands to pull Nicole back, away from her. She couldn’t talk, let alone think, if Nicole’s lips were on her.

The Officer panted, greedily sucking air back into her lungs as her body pinned the brunette against the wall. She was looking up at Waverly, pupils completely blown, a hungry expression on her face.

Waverly willed her heart to calm down as she tried to formulate words. She knew had things to say to Nicole and she just had to focus and try to remember them. Which was proving extremely difficult with the feeling of Nicole’s body pressing against her, strong hands hooked under her thighs, hooded brown eyes full of desire.

Waverly gently released her tight hold on the Officer’s head and let her arms fall to rest on the other woman’s shoulders. She knew she had to break the wordless air between them. And now that she had gathered her bearings, she knew just where to start.

“Nicole…no more saying sorry, okay? I forgive you for not telling me about your family and ex-fiancée. And I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions. It was stupid and rash and not at all fair to you,” the florist admitted, saying the last part sheepishly.

She had rushed to judgment fairly quick, and hadn’t let Nicole explain herself. So she was partly at fault here.

“But," Waverly continued, "I think we both can agree that keeping things from each other is not a good idea, especially if we want this to work.”

Nicole bowed her head in response, guilt rushing through her. But the brunette was having none of it. She wasn’t going to let the redhead torment herself any longer over this, especially when the fault was also partly hers. Waverly used one of her fingers to tilt the Officer’s chin up, reconnecting their gazes.

“You don’t get to feel guilty about this anymore, okay? Girlfriends fight. And while it’s totally _the worst_ , it’s fine…it’s umm, it’s normal. So as long as we agree not to have anymore secrets from each other, we’re going to be okay, Nicole,” Waverly promised, “we’re going to be okay.”

The Officer breathed a sigh of relief, the weight and burden she had been carrying on her shoulders finally gone. “Thank you, Waves. You…you are an extraordinary woman.”

Waverly grinned down at her and moved to reconnect their lips. But Nicole angled her head back, keeping her lips just out of reach.

“And while I am loving this reunion, I am super sweaty, and smelly, and gross and _definitely_ need a shower before work,” the Officer giggled, shooting the florist a dimpled grin.

“I mean, I wasn’t going say anything but…” the brunette trailed off, her sweet smile morphing into a teasing smirk.

Nicole’s eyes narrowed playfully. “It’s a good thing you’re cute.”

Waverly threw her head back, laughter coming easily to her for the first time since their fight. She slowly uncrossed her ankles from behind Nicole’s back, and slid down her body, feet landing firmly on the ground. But she wasn’t quite ready to completely let go of the Officer just yet, and trailed her hands down the redhead’s arms. 

She slowly began to unwrap the tape from Nicole's hands, discarding the sweaty material on the ground beside her. Once she was done, Waverly gently lifted the Officer's hands up to her lips, pressing feather-light kisses to her swollen and beat up knuckles. As she did, the florist looked up through her eyelashes at Nicole. She saw the redhead looking down at her, her brown eyes soft, full of adoration. Placing a final kiss to each hand, Waverly lowered them and laced their fingers together.

“So I have to ask…”

Nicole raised her brow and gave Waverly’s hands a squeeze, awaiting the question.

“Don’t you think it’s a little cliché, sending me flowers to apologize?” the brunette asked, eyes twinkling with amusement. 

The redhead chuckled in reply and shook her head. “Nope,” she replied, “I think it got my message across perfectly.”

“It did, baby, it really did," Waverly couldn’t help but agree. It seemed as if their floral tradition was now firmly cemented. 

Nose wrinkling, the brunette added, “Now go shower, you really do stink!”

Nicole gasped in mock-horror. Waverly was soooo going to pay for that one.

The Officer’s chocolate brown eyes filled with mirth and she shot a playful smile down at Waverly. Without warning, Nicole released her hands and picked up the florist, bridal style. She then began to march them towards the locker room. The brunette squealed and tried in vain to escape, but to no avail. She was at the mercy of the redhead, and she couldn’t be happier.

Placing a quick but ardent kiss on the brunette’s lips, the Officer pulled back and carried the florist towards the showers.

Nicole had 12 minutes left until her shift and planned to spend every single one of them with Waverly, preferably with both of them under a stream of close-to-blistering water, hands wandering, mouths exploring, chasing perfection.

\--End--

Part IV flowers and their meanings:

-Purple Hyacinth: ‘I am sorry’ and ‘Please forgive me’

Source of photo: <https://www.americanmeadows.com/flower-bulbs/hyacinth-flower-bulbs/hyacinth-bulbs-blue-jacket>

-Red carnation: ‘My heart aches for you’

Source of photo: <http://www.flowerspictures.org/flower-pictures/carnation/37.html>

-Pink Camellia: ‘Longing for you’

Source of photo: <https://www.gardenia.net/plant/Camellia-Japonica-Pink-Perfection>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was such a wild ride! I know that flower combination was totally not cute, but let’s remember that the meanings were more important than the aesthetics ;)
> 
> I really hope y’all enjoyed this 3-part adventure :)
> 
> In only a few short days, I will be posting the first chapter of Part V: “How do I say ‘I Love You’ in flower?”
> 
> Part V will have 2 chapters, one from Nicole's perspective and one from Waverly's since so many of you enjoyed the different POV's!
> 
> I can't wait to share them with you guys! See you Monday 
> 
> Thanks again for reading xoxo


End file.
